Sorting machine for record cards



Oct. 4, 1932. E. A. FORD SORTING MACHINE FOR RECORD CARDS Filed March 20, 1929 '4 Sheets-Sheet l E. A. FORD SORTING MACHINE FOR RECORD CARDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 4, 1932.

Filed March 20, 1929 ii i Oct. 4, 1932. E. A. FORD 1,880,428

SORTING MACHINE FOR RECORD CARDS Filed March 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Flea.

Oct. 4, 1932. E. A. FORD SORTING MACHINE FOR RECORD CARDS Filed March 20, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 avwantoz flbtomeng 1 tic'al' columns an go ment on the machine describe so device indicates to which station it sho name as. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES harem omen EUGENE A. I'OBD,,OI m YORK, ABBIGNOB 1'0, THE TABULATING MA- CHINE COIPANY, OI mrco'rr, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

son'rme'ncma roa aaconn caans Application fled larch 80, 1829. Serial No. 348,895.

This invention relates to machines especial- 1y adapted for sortin cards used in tabulating machines, such, or instance, as the well .known Hollerith.

Index points are formed by punching holes throughthe cards, the value and character of thefinformationconveyed by each hole being dependent upon its exact location on the card. The index oints are arranged in verd certain columns contain punched index holes designating the kind or class to which the 'card belongs.

As it would be a tedious'task to sort the cards by hand, into desired. classes or groups before running them through the tabulating machines, sorting machines have been designated to do the classifying automatically, and thatis the class of machine to which the present invention belongs, bein an improvein detail in the copending application of applicant, Serial No. 329,388, filed December 31, 1928,

which discloses a sorter of the hOllZOIltfll,

type designed to sort the cards electrically and deposit each class in a station.

, The present invention pertains especially to the method-of controlling the receiving ends of the blades which conduct each card to its station after the selecting or anal Sing go. In the drawings; Fig. 1 is a pers ective view of an assembled machine em odying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the card feeding mechanism and the controlling devices for the carddistributing mechanism Fig. 3is a plan view of the controlling devices for card distributing mechanism, on

line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the manner in which a record card passage is effected upon the analyzing 46 of an index point perforation.

Referring to Fig. 1 which shows a perspective view of the machine the frame 30 is mounted on le 31. Underneath the frame is a shelf or su -frame 32 supporting the motor 33 which drives the machine shafts by the usual belt and shown).

Box 34 underneath the frame 30 contains the relays, fuses, and electrical connections,

pulley arrangement (not current from the outside source beingadmitted to or cut out from the machine by switch button 35 and 36.

,When. a roup' of record cards 37 have been proper y stacked the stack is placed in p the feed magazine38 with plate 39 on top of the stack. .This plate is used so that when there are only a, few cards left in the stack there will be sufficient weight onthem to prevent'them from being displaced from true position by the rapid action of the picker mechanism.

To arriinge for sorting the record cards in accordance with the index points in a selected column, the operator, by means of a crank handle 40 moves a contact brush 41 laterally (Fig. 2) so it will traverse the desired index column on the cards as they pass under it. The machine is then started in operation in order that a picker 42 may feed I Gard feed mechanism Any suitable feed mechanism may be employed for feeding record cards to the analyz-' mg mechanism and preferably comprises an arm 43 to which is connected a link 44 eccentrically mounted on a drive shaft 45. Each reciprocation of the arm 43 effects a similar movement to a plate 46 which carries picker knife 42. The latter picks a card from the bottom of the stack and feeds it through the usual card throat, the card being then directed by feed rolls 47 to the analyzing device, comprising, in the present instance, a brush 41and a -conducting roll 48, the brush 41 inc i being insulated from the roll 48 by.an inte- Distributing aystm The princi le ofthe distributin .system ma be readi y understood from igs. 2, 3 and 4 in which 48 designates the brass contact cylinder extending crosswise of the ma-- chine to provide contact with the brush 41 in a selected card column. 50 are a plurality of thin flexible blades made of steel, brass, or any other suitable material one of their ends being spring biased downwards and their other ends bein of successive lengths so as to terminate at t e respective card stations to direct the record card thereto. The

blades 50 overlap each other and have their terminatioiis 51 in direct contact with actuating levers 52. The levers 52 are pivoted upon a common rod 53 and are each urged downwardly by respective springs54 to provide continuous contact with the periphery of the related cam 55.

A series of such cams 55 are provided and 'are carried by a drive shaft 59.50 that they are driven as a unit and in synchronism with the feeding of the card beneath brush 41. Each cam 55 may be said to have'a cam portion 56 which continues to form a concentric portion 57 terminating at 58 to permit a drop for the associated levers 52 under the action of its biasing spring 54. It will be observed that the cam edges 56 of all the cams 55 are similarly disposed on the shaft 59 so that an initial rotation of the latter will elevate all the levers 52 and likewise all of the ends of the blades 50. However, the drop portions 58 of the series of cams are spirally arran ed so that while the levers 52 and ends of'bla es 50 are initially and simultaneously elevated, the levers 52 drop underthe action of their biasing springs 54 seriatim. In further detail, it is obvious that an initial operation of shaft'59 will elevate the terminations 51 of all the blades 50 so that upon continued rotation of the cam shaft 59 the drop 58 of the cam associated with blade 50, will permit the related lever 52 to be urged downwardly by its spring,'the blade 50, following. Since the blades above blade 50,, will beheld up bjaithe concentric portions of their cams, an opening will be provided between blades 50. and 50 This opening is effected during the card feeding cycle at the time the 9 62 pivoted at 63 and the cards to the several stations,

index'point is presented to the brush 41. Duringthe subsequent part of the cycle the remaining cams permit the blades through their related levers to dro successively to thereby form card passages between ad'acent blades successively and coincident wit the'presentation of the index points to the analyzing brush. 7

From the foregoing it will be clear that the passages are formed successively and that the o enin are of short duration'since they are epen ent upon the angular displacement of the drops 58 of the seriesvof cams. Itis essential, however, that if an index point perforation is presented to the brush 41 that v the separation between the adjacent blades be retained until the record card passes therebetween. In the preferred embodiment this control'is effected by magnet 49 and associated devices now to be explained.

The magnet armature (Fig. 2) is'pivoted at 61 and functions as a latch for a plate a shelf 64 adapted to be shifted by a spring 66 to engage under projections of the levers WhlCh are in elevated position prior to the energization of magnet 49.

In more detail, when the machine is sorting which is provided with' a promiscuous stack of cards each card as it comes from the feeding mechanism is assed' over the cylinder 48 with brush' 41 aring on the top surface of the card. As the cards leave the brush they pass over a plate 66" and beneath a sprin urged plate 67. If a card contains no hole 1n the column analyzed it will pass above the uppermost blade 50 into the last receiving station designated R, or reject. The usual conveylng rollers are provided for transporting which are shown at 68 in Fig. 2, the rest being omitted as they are well known in the art.

If, however, brush 41 finds a hole in the card it will complete the electric circuit by making contact with cylinder 48, magnet 49 will be energized, armature 60 drawn down a pair of" and plate 62 unlatched and as shelf 64 engages under certain levers 52 which have not been previously drawn down bytheir springs 54, the remaining levers 52 and the corresponding blades will be held up. The blades associated with the levers 52 which have dropped will, of course, bend at their ends to follow said levers, thereby effecting a passage between certain adjacent blades. This passage will be kept open due to the unlatched condition of plate 62. If the 2 index point should be perforated the condition shown in Fig; 4 will arise wherein it will be seen that certain blades will-be retained elevated and certain ones dropped. This condition will be retained so that further progress of the card to the left will direct it into the passage formed between the first and second blade. As the card passes have previously between successive pairs of rollers it will be confined to that passage that terminates in station 2. ,It is evident that the destination of each card depends upon which opening is effected between a pair of adjacent blades at the instant the magnet is energized, and that depends upon the location of the hole in the card.

The index points are fed bottom first and the brushes pass over the index points in any .column in the order, 9, 8,7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, l, 0, followed by the extra positions, as for instance 11 and 12, in Fig. 4. These extra positions correspond to stations 11 and 12 respect tively.

A restoring cam 69 revolving with the cams rocks a bail to restore plate 62 to relatched position afterthe passage of each card. In the event that the springs 54 should be sluggish and not act quickly enough to deress the levers 52 which have been released y their related cams a bevel edge 71 of shelf 64 will coact with inclined edges 72 of the feet 65 of the released levers 52 andpositively lower and lock them in lowered position. The corresponding blades 50 on account of their spring bias will follow the lowered levers to effect the desired card passage.

The ends 51 of the blades 50 are so positioned relatively to the brush 41 that if the brush finds a hole at an index point the mag"- net will be energized to shift the shelf 64 under the elevated levers 52 before the lever 52 next in order to be released drops off the high part of its related cam. As thefoot 65 of the lever 52 drops off the cam it will coact with shelf 64 to retain certain adjacent blades open permitting the directed card to pass therebetween.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims:

1. In a record card sorting machine comprising in combination with a plurality of card receiving pockets, a plurality of overlapping card sortingblades adapted to guide record cards to the desired card pocket, means for initially elevating the terminations of said blades and then separating the blades seriatim, and means under control of said record card for retaining the separation between the adjacent blades. p

2. In a record card sorting machine comprising in combination with a plurality of overlapping sorting blades forming card passages, and means for initially elevating said blades and then separating the blades seriatim to successively form card passages.

- 3. In a-record card sorting machine, a plurality of blades formin passages for record cards, a rotary mechanlsm initially shifting i all of said blades and then separating adjacent blades to successively form card passages and means under control of said record card to retain the separation between separated adjacent blades.

4. In a card sorting machine, a plurality of receiving stations, a plurality of sorting blades for forming passages to said stations, cam means for initially shifting all of said blades and then separating adjacent blades,

stations, a plurality of card sorting blades,

means for initially shifting all of said blades collectively and then releasing them individually and successively and means for preventing retraction of certain of said blades to retain a card passage between certain adjacent blades.

'7. In a sorting machine for record cards having index points, a plurality of receiving stations, a plurality of card sorting blades, means for simultaneously shifting all of said blades and then releasing them indi-' vidually and successively, a movable member under control of said record card and means whereby said movable member prevents retraction of certain blades to retain a card passage betweencertain adjacent blades.

8. In a card sorting machine, a plurality of receiving stations, a plurality of card sorting blades for forming card passages to said stations, said blades being biased by their own resiliency so as to tend to retract or assume their normal position when shifted therefrom, means for shifting all' of said blades simultaneously and successively releasing them individually tonormal and means under control of said record card for preventing the retraction of certain blades by their own resiliency to their normal positions to form a card passage between said blades.

9. In a card sorting machine, a plurality of card receiving stations, a plurality of card sorting blades and a rotary mechanism for causing all of said blades to be simultaneously shifted and successively released whereby said blades are successively retracted to their normal positions.

In a record card sorting machine, a plurality of card receiving stations, aplurality of card sorting blades and a rota mechanism for causing all of said blades tov be simultaneously shifted and successively released whereby said blades are successively retracted to their normal positions and means under control of said record card for preventing a retraction of certain blades to form a card passage between said blades.

11. In a sorting machine for record cards having index points, a lurality of card receiving stations, an ana yzing device, a plurality of card sorting blades means whereby 3 said blades are initially shifted and successively released to successively form card passages, said card passages being formed coincident with the presentation of the index .points of said record card to the analyzing, 2-3 devices.

12. In a sorting machine for record cards having index points, a plurality of card receiving stations, a plurality of card sorting blades said blades adapted to form card passages to said stations, an analyzing device and means whereby said blades are successively released to normal to form a card pas sage for each index point of the record card index points, an analyzing device a plurality of card receiving stations, a piurality of blades adapted to be separated to form card passages to said stations, means contacting with said blades whereby adjacent blades are separated to form card passages successively and coincident with the presentation of 1,aso,4as

in order to follow the contour of their related cams whereby card passages are suc- 'cesslvely formed between adjacent blades.

In a machine for sorting cards comprising a plurality of card distributin statrons, a p urality of card sorting blades, a correspondin number of cams associated with said bla es, said cams adapted to shift all of said blades and permit their release one by one from shifted position to form card passages between adjacent blades successively. a

18. In a machine for sorting record cards comprising a pluralit of card distributing stations, a plurality 0 blades adapted when separated to form card passages between adjacent blades, means for shifting'all of said blades and rmit their subsequent release one by one rom shifted position to successively form card passages between adjacent blades, and means under control of the record card for preventing release of certain blades.

19. In a machine for sorting record cards comprising a pluralit of card distributing stations, a plurality of blades adapted when separated to form card passages between adjacent blades, means adapted to release said blades one by one so as to successivel form card passages between adjacent bla es, an analyzing mechanism for the record, cards and a trigger mechanism under control of the analyzing mechanism for reventing release of certain blades and t ereby retaining the separation between adjacent blades tOflI'OVldG a passa e for the card anal zed.

n, testimony w ereof I hereto a my EUGENE A. FORD.

signature. 14. In a machine for sorting cards having each index point to the analyzing device,

and means for retaining a card passage during the operation of said means until the record card analyzed is directed thereto.

15. In a machine for sorting cards, a plurality of card receiving stations, a plurality of blades adapted to be separated to form card passages for the cards to the receiving stations and means for initially shifting all of said blades and to subsequently permit the retraction of the blades seriatim to thereby successively form card passages between adjacent blades.

16. In a machine for sortin cards, includ- I ing in combination a rotary evice comprising a series of cams, a card distributing mechanism including a series of superimposed assorting blades having ends terminating at the same line and adapted to be biased 

